o know what I mean, though you don't
know you know it. I've often seen you wondering about it. Oh, that motor
'bus is going to run into us! It isn't; how can you be so nervous? It
cleared us by at least a quarter of an inch. Yes, 'Animal Grab.' Now
'yes' or 'no,' do you know what I mean, or don't you?"

Gladys trembled under these direct assaults. But she thought "yes" was
more likely to be favourably received than "no," and so allowed herself
to say "yes."

But it proved to be a vain hope that Daisy would thereupon go on and
explain. That was so like Daisy; she never did what you hoped or
expected she might. Gladys on this occasion, with her pink, timorous
face and general air of discouragement, prayed that Daisy might not
trouble about her, but just go on talking. It is true that Daisy did
talk next, but, instead of expounding, she rapped out a question.

"So you do know," she said. "Then what is it?"

Gladys shut her eyes for a moment to encourage bravery.

"I suppose it means that you are thinking whether you will marry Lord
Lindfield or not," she said.

Daisy, however peremptory, was not a bully.

"How did you guess that, dear?" she asked.

"It wasn't very difficult. It couldn't have been, you see, or I
shouldn't have guessed it. But he has been--well, a good deal interested
in you, hasn't he, and you----"

"Do you mean I've encouraged him?" asked Daisy, with an inquisitorial
air.

"No, I mean just the opposite. You've rather snubbed him." Gladys made a
huge demand on her courage. "But you've snubbed him in such a way that
it comes to the same thing as if you had encouraged him," she said.

Daisy considered this.

"I think you've got a horrid mind, Gladys," she said at length. "If I
encourage somebody you tell me I am flirting, and if I discourage him
you tell me it comes to the same thing. And you do me an injustice. I
haven't snubbed or discouraged him. I've--I've remained neutral, until I
could make up my mind. Do you think he cares for me? I really don't
know whether he does or not. I can always tell with the gentle, good
people like Willie, and it is gentle, good people whom I see most. Oh!"

Daisy gave a great sigh, and leant out over the folded door of the
hansom.

"I'm not sure if I want to marry Lord Lindfield or not," she said, "but
I'm perfectly certain that I don't want him to marry anybody else. I
think I should like him always to remain wanting to marry me, while I
didn't want to mar